Senior Implementation Lead - London - Home Based, BN21 3UT Salary: £74,290 to £85,601 a year Contract: Permanent Working Pattern: Full-time Reference Number: G9914-25-0067 Job summary
Join the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) in a transformative leadership role, where you\\\'ll play a pivotal part in the national delivery of the Future NHS Workforce Solution.
The future solution will build upon the success of the Electronic Staff Record (ESR), which is the national HR and payroll system for the NHS. It processes £55 billion in payments each year to NHS colleagues, which is 7% of the UK\\\'s workforce.
You\\\'ll drive the successful implementation of the future solution. Your role will involve strategic leadership, managing key implementation activities, and ensuring seamless delivery across multiple User Organisations.
There are 4 regional roles available and 2 national. All roles require travel across all NHS regions where required.
The roles will be appointed on a permanent basis and are being recruited to support a specific workstream within the FWS programme, which is scheduled to run until 2030.
Interview will be held in person, WC 5th May.
Main duties of the job
As a Senior Implementation Lead, you\\\'ll be a robust, strategic leader and strong communicator with advanced skills in operational and programme management, planning and implementation.
It is important that the post holder has specialised technical expertise in the current workforce solution (ESR) to facilitate engagement with stakeholders and maintain credible influence whilst managing cross-functional relationships.
Accountabilities Include:
- Provide strategic leadership.
- Establish and maintain governance standards and adapt processes based on feedback to ensure ongoing success.
- Develop frameworks and oversee resourcing for readiness andimplementation support for User Organisations.
- Lead readiness assessments with User Organisations to identify opportunities for ESR optimisation aligned with their workforce goals.
- Co-develop strategic readiness frameworks with the future workforce solution supplier.
- Manage implementation phases, ensuring smooth transition and risk mitigation during rollout.
- Build and maintain strategic relationships with key stakeholders, including NHS regions, User Organisations, and the solution supplier.
- Influence executive leadership to ensure commitment and support for transition to the future workforce solution.
- Oversee data quality and develop reporting frameworks to monitor the performance of the current system and future implementation.
- Lead and inspire the regional Readiness and Implementation team.
About us
Here at the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA), what we do matters.We manage the NHS Pension scheme, process prescription payments and much more. Our services are used by NHS organisations, contractors and the public: we\\\'re proud to be part of something meaningful, that touches millions of lives.We design our services around customer needs and place people at the heart of our organisation. That\\\'s why when you join us, you\\\'ll be empowered and supported to help your career grow.As one of the UK\\\'s Best Big Companies to work for, we\\\'re connected to our values: Collaborative, Adventurous, Reliable and Energetic. We care about our people, our purpose, and your progress.We strive to offer a fantastic colleague experience, where every colleague is heard, supported and respected. Wellbeing, diversity and inclusion is at the centre of this, and you can join our Lived Experience Networks who help us bring our authentic selves to work.We\\\'re committed to being a flexible employer and we try to offer a working pattern that suits you where possible, through hybrid working, flexible hours and more.Alongside a competitive salary with pay progression, we offer a people-centric benefits package, connecting you to the rewards and benefits you value most!Ready to join us in delivering business service excellence to the NHS, helping people live longer, healthier lives? Apply today and see where the NHSBSA can take you.We are people connected to care.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Leadership, Governance, and Continuous Improvement:
1. Provide strategic leadership that aligns operational goals with broader programme objectives, establishing governance standards and ways of working that support both the current and future workforce solutions.
2. Actively seek feedback and promote adaptability to continually refine processes, ensuring alignment with both User Organisation needs and evolving system requirements.
3. Support the effort to set strategic goals and oversee the resourcing, framework development, and operational procedures that will allow the function to provide comprehensive readiness and implementation support for User Organisations.
Operational Service Delivery & Optimisation (Current workforce System):
4. In-depth specialist technical knowledge of the current workforce solution (ESR) that supports User Organisations to realise the business case benefits in relation to workforce management and efficiency from optimisation.
5. Provide leadership in the planning and successful execution of readiness assessments with User Organisations to encourage them to identify areas where ESR optimisation can support their strategic workforce objectives and provide enhanced project support for User Organisations ongoing optimisation initiatives.
Establishment and continued development of the Implementation Function:
6. Supporting the Head of, co-lead the creation and development of the Readiness and Implementation function, defining its vison and purpose, culture and processes to ensure it meets both immediate and long-term needs.Implementation of the Future NHS Workforce Solution:
7. Through excellent stakeholder relationships with the future NHS workforce solution supplier, develop strategic readiness frameworks to effectively evaluate progress, to ensure successful preparation and implementation of the future NHS workforce solution.
8. Co-design critical readiness and implementation documentation (such as tailored individual scoping templates or PIDs). Fully support the supplier of the new agreement in their responsibilities to agree and deliver on implementation waves, supporting User Organisations throughout each wave in the critical transition towards the successful implementation of the future solution. This will include sharing intelligence on dependencies and risks and collaborating closely with stakeholders internally and externally to minimise impact on rollout schedules.
Data Insight & Reporting:
9. Oversee data quality and insight collection for the current ESR system and User Organisation readiness for the implementation of the future NHS workforce solution.
10. Lead the creation of reporting frameworks on User Organisations readiness that proactively monitors performance against individual scoping documents and support decision-making into the programme and provide visibility across both current system optimisation and future implementation status and planning.
Stakeholder Relationship Management:
11. Identify, build and maintain strategic relationships with the supplier of the new agreement and within NHS regions, including ICBs/ICSs and User Organisations at the executive leadership level and wider stakeholders to foster engagement and collaboration on both the current workforce solutions (ESR) optimisation and the future solutions design and rollout.
12. Understand needs, expectations and goals, in order to directly influence and secure commitment from User Organisations to fulfil their roles in preparing for and implementing the new NHS workforce solution, this will involve influencing a positive culture shift to overcome resistance to the change that is required in order to support successful readiness and implementation of the future workforce solution
13. Establish and leverage their personal credibility to build and sustain effective strategic relationships with senior stakeholders within their region. This will support a better understanding of the broader operating context and challenges faced by user organisations and key stakeholders. Additionally, they will advocate for and educate stakeholders on the role of the NHSBSAs workforce services and the value they offer.
Developing the capabilities of the User Organisations:
14. Develop the frameworks that will assess the change management, and wider capabilities needed for a User Organisation to both optimise the current workforce solution (ESR) and to successfully implement the future solution.
15. Working with the supplier of the new agreement, oversee the regional and supplier teams to develop and roll out the materials, skills and/or products that will support User Organisations in their readiness and implementation activities.
16. A key stakeholder to User Organisations, seeking assurance in relation to readiness and implementation on relevant project boards and key groups, supporting clear communication of plans, progress, and performance.Team Leadership and Line Management:
17. Provide strategic leadership, direction, and line management for the regional Readiness and Implementation team, fostering a collaborative and supportive environment. Set clear goals, monitor performance, and provide coaching and development opportunities to ensure team members are equipped to meet both current and future demands. Encourage a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
18. Demonstrate the values of the NHSBSA as part of the programme team culture that values and deploys coaching and feedback, and readily supports each other to deliver to high standards of work across all programmes and projects, encourages and coaches others to improve.
19. Working with the Head of have responsibility for regional teams including budget management responsibility of circa £1 million.
Ways of working:
20. Work at all times collaboratively with the Head of, the other Senior Implementation Leads and the wider NHSBSA ESR service and programme teams and NHSBSA teams. Responsible for fostering a collaborative and positive working culture that aligns to NHSBSA values and ways of working within the programme.
In addition to the above accountabilities, as post holder you are expected to
1. Undertake additional duties and responsibilities in line with the purpose of your role and as agreed by your line manager.
2. Demonstrate NHSBSA values and core capabilities in all aspects of your work.
3. Encourage an environment where your own and colleagues safety and well-being is promoted.
4. Contribute to a culture which values diversity and inclusion.
5. Follow NHSBSA policies, procedures, and protocols as they apply to your role.
Applications will be reviewed regularly and we may take the decision to close the advert early at any point up until the closing date, if we receive a high number of suitable applications.
If youre interested in this role, its important that you get your application in early to avoid missing this fantastic opportunity.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Post-graduate qualification (or equivalent) in programme management, or a related discipline.
Desirable
- Leadership qualification level 5 or above
- Project Management qualification (e.g., PRINCE2, PMP) or Change Management (e.g., PROSCI).
- Certification in Data Analytics or Data Management (e.g., Certified Analytics Professional
Personal Qualities, Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- Leadership and Team Management: Demonstrates strategic leadership and ability to manage and mentor a team, ensuring they are aligned with both current system optimisation and the readiness and implementation goals for the future solution.
- Project and Programme Management: Advanced skills in operational and programme management, project planning, and implementation, including creating frameworks, readiness assessments, delivery plans and monitoring progress.
- Stakeholder Engagement and Relationship-Building: Proven skills in building relationships and engaging stakeholders at senior executive leadership levels to foster collaboration and ensure shared goals are me
- Data Analysis and Insight: Proficiency in and oversight of data collection, data quality, and analysis to inform readiness assessment and implementation planning
- Change Management: Deep understanding of change management principles and methods, in order to be able to work effectively with the future supplier and influence User Organisations to drive their organisational change journeys, manage resistance, and support skill development.
- Communication and Influence: Excellent and adaptable communication skills with the ability to inspire and influence and secure buy-in from senior stakeholders and manage cross-functional relationships.
- Current workforce solution: Specialised technical expertise in the current workforce solution (ESR) to facilitate effective engagement with and influence over senior strategic stakeholders at both regional and national levels. This expertise will enable the postholder to engage credibly and consistently with these stakeholders when developing individual scoping documents, that will include optimisation of the current workforce solution as part of broader readiness efforts for the implementation of future workforce solutions.
Desirable
- Knowledge of Workforce Solutions/ERP Systems: Familiarity with workforce management, HR, or ERP system environments and an understanding of common challenges and best practices in system transition.
- Knowledge of the NHS landscape and the different organisation types that make up the NHS to support User Organisations in their readiness activities.
- Understanding of continuous improvement and change management methodologies, such as PROSCI, Lean or Six Sigma, to support ongoing optimisation efforts.
Experience
Essential
- Extensive experience in a leadership role within an operational service delivery, programme management, or change management setting, ideally in technology or workforce solutions.
- Strong and proven track record in managing large-scale system implementations and leading teams through significant transitions.
- Significant experience in stakeholder management and relationship-building at a senior executive level, with a focus on strategic engagement and collaboration.
- Experience with data insight and reporting to support decision-making and inform readiness and implementation strategies.
- Prior experience in setting up or establishing a new function or programme area within an organisation.
Desirable
- Experience in an HR, workforce management, or Enterprise Resource Planning/Human Capital Management systems environment.
- Experience working in the NHS or public sector.
- Familiarity with continuous improvement and change management methodologies (e.g., PROSCI Lean, Six Sigma).
**** When applying for this role, please read the Supporting Documents on the apply page. ***
